Within RDA Podravje – Maribor, the sector for research, development, and innovation is responsible for the active development of regional circular economy and is supported by the expertise of E-Institute.

In cooperation with different actors and networks in the Podravje region, RDA Podravje – Maribor and E-Institute are developing and implementing a circular systemic solution, which is outlined in the action plan of the Regional Strategy for Transition to Circular Bioeconomy of Podravje 2030. This strategy – also available in English – is the first regional-level strategic document of its kind to be adopted in Slovenia.

Urban rural predominance

Predominantly rural

‘Promoting sustainable agriculture and farmland rejuvenation through bio-based fertilisers and the reuse of treated wastewater’

The Podravje – Maribor region is on a mission to harness the potential of its various local and bio-degradable materials to create innovative products. The first circular product that the region has developed is a new bio-based fertiliser designed to rejuvenate farmlands depleted by intensive agriculture. The second is a unique soil substitute for land remediation made from sediments and fertiliser that is suitable for farmlands and raised gardens.

Additionally, a demo project developed under the CyrcSyst project and funded by the Horizon Europe programme is testing the reuse of treated wastewater in agriculture. The demo is focused on ensuring the safety of agricultural products for human consumption and is also exploring the potential of scaling up the use of treated wastewater for irrigation in greenhouse agricultural production through humidity control.

Objectives

The main goal of the Podravje region is to support the development of a climate resilient and circular regional bioeconomy through the utilisation of endogenous regional bioeconomy potentials and to initiate the formation of value chains derived from available bio-degradable materials.

Systemic nature

The circular systemic solution addresses multiple sectors, including agriculture, food, water, nutrients, and waste management. It integrates multiple input materials available in the region, such as: biological waste; riverbed biomass and floating wood gathered at hydropower dams; biomass from maintaining woods and green spaces; waste organic materials from wastewater treatment and animal farming; river sediments; waste heat from composting and pyrolysis; and treated wastewater. The solution involves diverse stakeholders, including the public administration, local industry and businesses (e.g. 90 members of the Strategic Research and Innovation Partnership – Networks for the transition into circular economy), research institutions, technological organisations, NGOs and civil society.

The circular systemic solution focuses on developing circular business models, unlocking funding or financial opportunities and developing innovative governance models. Overall, the solution aims to create positive environmental impacts, enhancing local industry competitiveness, and generating local jobs, particularly in agriculture and related sectors.

Expected impact

The proposed circular systemic solution aims to reduce the use of drinking water in agriculture, and enhance local food production, making the region more self-sufficient. This solution will also help reduce the region's carbon footprint and increase the availability of biomass as a regional resource. Furthermore, it will improve soil quality for farming and facilitate the extraction of phosphorus through pyrolysis, to be used in bio-based products like fertilisers.

Link to existing circular economy strategy and/or action plan

The implementation of the regional bioeconomy strategy relies on the organisation and operation of strategic project areas. These areas serve as pillars of circularity and efficient resource management, supporting Maribor's transition into a circular economy. The strategy focuses on the following activities:

1. the treatment of municipal waste and associated services;
2. the use of processed construction and demolition waste and soil in urban construction;
3. the management of surplus heat and renewable energy;
4. sustainable mobility – urban transport and joint services;
5. the reuse of recycled water and alternative water resources;
6. sustainable management of land and regeneration of degraded areas;
7. a cooperative economy network;
8. regional capacity building for the transition to a green and circular economy.

The strategy introduces an innovative urban circular economy system as the new business and economic model of the territory in the field of circular resource management. Such a model has not existed before and complements the principles of sustainable development and cooperative economy. The main goals of the strategy are to manage and use all material streams that the territory is producing and (re)use them for enhancing development on the principles of circular economy. Some of the goals are to raise the awareness of citizens about circular economy (CE), to support new business models in sharing economy, and to enable transition to CE in public and private sector.

Leading organisation

Regional Development Agency of Podravje – Maribor

Unit/department/section

Department for research, development and innovation

Participation in other relevant initiative

• Interreg Alpine space, Greencycle
• Horizon 2020, UPSURGE
• HuMUS, Healthy Municipal Soils
• Circsyst (no site created yet)
• Inertwaste
• INSET
• Digital Health in the Circular Economy (DICE)
• Cinderela – New Circular Economy Business Model for More Sustainable Urban Construction
• City water circle
• Urban soil 4 food
• Insight
• CE-HEAT
• CEFoodCycle
• VERDEinMED

In addition, several innovative start-ups have been supported though crowdfunding campaigns (via the E-Institute) and business incubators for innovative and development-oriented companies (via Styrian Technology Park).

Podravje is also part of initiatives like EURADA, ACR+, AER, and EUKI.

Other key resources

Regional Strategy for Transition to Circular Economy